Outrage over ‘Pro-Israel’ Zombie Apocalypse Film

Many critics of Israel are disappointed by ‘World War Z’ as it shows the IDF fighting off zombie hordes.

By Maayana Miskin

First Publish: 6/28/2013, 12:47 PM

Security barrier near Jerusalem

Shimon Cohen

A Hollywood blockbuster depicting a worldwide zombie apocalypse has become yet more fuel for the fire in the debate on Israel. According to many PA supporters, the film’s depiction of Israel as one of the few countries on earth not immediately overwhelmed by zombies indicates a clear pro-Israel bias.

The movie stars actor Brad Pitt as a United Nations employee, Gerry Lane, who joins in the fight against a major zombie pandemic that has killed most of the world’s population.

Pro-PA viewers were particularly upset by a scene showing zombie hordes being slowed by a massive wall around Israel. They pointed out that the scene appears to justify the Judea and Samaria security barrier.

"In World War Z, Israel's apartheid wall apparently helps keep out a massive horde of zombies... not cool," one upset Twitter user said.

Other viewers, however, interpreted the depiction of the barrier as ironic commentary. Israel’s real Judea and Samaria separation barrier was built to prevent Palestinian Authority resident suicide bombers from reaching Israeli cities, but in the film both Israeli Jews and PA Muslims take shelter behind the wall.

They pointed out that the film does not necessarily portray the anti-zombie barrier as helpful to Israel's defense.

It should be noted that Israel’s current security barrier is in most places a fence rather than a wall, and is not always effective in keeping out illegal entrants. The portions that are made of a concrete wall are significantly shorter and weaker than the barrier depicted in the movie, and would probably not prove a significant obstacle to World War Z’s superfast zombies.